Francis with leukemia has neutropenia. Which of the following functions must be frequently assessed?
A. Blood pressure
B. Bowel sounds
C. Heart sounds
D. Breath sounds
Correct Answer: D. Breath sounds
Pneumonia, both viral and fungal, is a common cause of death in clients with neutropenia, so frequent assessment of respiratory rate and breath sounds is required.
Option A: Blood pressure should be monitored regularly, but it is not a priority with neutropenia.
Option B: Assessing bowel sounds is not associated with neutropenia. Leukemia may affect the small and large bowel and they are usually hemorrhagic or infiltrative.
Option C: Although assessing heart sounds is important, it won’t help detect neutropenia. Patients with acute leukemia develop a higher rate of congestive heart failure than patients with other cancers.